Of all the Adriatic islands, Mljet (mil-yet) may be the most seductive. Much of the island is covered by forests and the rest is dotted with fields, vineyards and small villages. The northwestern half of the island forms Mljet National Park , where the lush vegetation, pine forests and spectacular saltwater lakes are exceptionally scenic. It’s an unspoiled oasis of tranquillity that, according to legend, captivated Odysseus for seven years. We’re sure he didn’t regret a moment.
History
Ancient Greeks called the island ‘Melita’ or ‘honey’ for the many bees humming in the forests. It appears that Greek sailors came to the island for refuge against storms and to gather fresh water from the springs. At that time the island was populated by Illyrians, who erected hill forts and traded with the mainland. They were conquered by the Romans in 35 BC, who expanded the settlement around Polače by building a palace, baths and servants’ quarters.
The island fell under the control of the Byzantine Empire in the 6th century and was later subjected to the 7th-century invasions of Slavs and Avars. After several centuries of regional rule from the mainland, Mljet was given to the Benedictine order in the 13th century, which constructed a monastery in the middle of Veliko Jezero. Dubrovnik formally annexed the island in 1410.
Although Mljet’s fortunes were thereafter tied to those of Dubrovnik, the inhabitants maintained their traditional activities of farming, viticulture, husbandry and seafaring. All except seafaring remain key occupations today. The establishment of the national park in 1960 put Mljet on the map, but the island is anything but overrun and visitors are almost entirely drawn to the tourist enclave around Pomena. If you’re searching for tranquillity, you won’t have to look hard here.
The highlights of the island are Malo Jezero and Veliko Jezero , the two lakes on the island’s western end connected by a channel. Veliko Jezero is connected with the sea by the Soline Canal, which makes the lakes subject to tidal flows.
In the middle of Veliko Jezero is an islet with a Benedictine monastery . The monastery was originally built in the 12th century but has been rebuilt several times, adding Renaissance and baroque features to the Romanesque structure. It contains theChurch of St Mary (Crkva Svete Marije) . In addition to building the monastery, the Benedictine monks deepened and widened the passage between the two lakes, taking advantage of the rush of sea water into the valley to build a mill at the entrance to Veliko Jezero. The monastery was abandoned in 1869 and the mill housed the government’s forest-management offices for the island until 1941. It was then converted into a hotel, which was trashed during the 1990s war. Now it contains an atmospheric restaurant: Melita (Click here ).
There’s a boat from Mali Most (about 1.5km from Pomena) on Malo Jezero that leaves for the island monastery every hour at 10 minutes past the hour. It’s not possible to walk right around the larger lake as there’s no bridge over the channel connecting the lakes to the sea. If you decide to swim it, keep in mind that the current can be strong.
Polače features a number of remains dating from the 1st to the 6th centuries. Most impressive is the Roman palace , probably from the 5th century. The floor plan was rectangular and on the front corners are two polygonal towers separated by a pier. On a hill over the town you can see the remains of a late-antiquefortification , and northwest of the village are the remains of an early Christian basilica and a 5th-century church .
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